Rafael Nadal rallied to advance to the French Open semi-finals for the ninth time, beating David Ferrer 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-1 on Wednesday. The eight-time champion at Roland Garros dropped a set at this year's tournament for the first time, but then seemed to race through the next three to ensure he had the day off on Thursday.

Nadal will next face Andy Murray in the semi-finals on Friday. Murray, who missed last year's tournament because of a back injury, held on to beat Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 1-6, 6-0.

The tennis started late at Roland Garros on Thursday, with the two women's quarterfinal matches only beginning after a rain delay of about three hours. Andrea Petkovic and Simona Halep both won, and one of them will be in a Grand Slam final for the first time on Saturday.

Nadal improved his record to 64-1 at the French Open, and stretched his unbeaten streak to 33. His only loss came in the fourth round of the 2009 tournament, when Robin Soderling beat him.

Nadal played Ferrer, last year's runner-up, on Court Suzanne Lenglen, the second biggest stadium at Roland Garros. Although Nadal has won a record eight titles at the clay-court Grand Slam, he was pushed to the smaller court so Monfils and Murray could play on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Monfils had been trying to become the first Frenchman to win the title at Roland Garros since Yannick Noah in 1983, but instead it was Murray that made his way back into the French Open semifinals for the second time.

In 2011, the Wimbledon champion lost to Nadal at the same stage. The women's matches were more straightforward.
Petkovic, a 28th-seeded German, beat 2012 French Open runner-up Sara Errani of Italy 6-2, 6-2. The fourth-seeded Halep defeated 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, also 6-2, 6-2.